Automatic bagger and loader



Jan. 18, 1938. w. OBRIEN 4 AUTOMATIC BAGGER AND LOADER Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE Y Jan. 18, 1938. w. OBRIEN AUTOMATIC BAGGER AND LOADER Filed Feb. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE JanQlS, 1938. w. L. OBRIEN 2,105,610

AUTOMATIC BAGGER AND LOADER v Filed Feb; 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 18, 1938. w. L. O'BRIEN 2,105,610

AUTOMATIC BAGGER AND LOADER Filed Feb. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR,

iadzwia'zsm ATTORNEY,

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for loading or dispensing coal or the like.

The retail coal tonnage in the thickly populated residential sections of cities is, to a large 5 extent, delivered in bags containing approximately 100 pounds of coal each. This mode of delivery has been brought about by economic and other conditions such as inaccessible bins excluding the employment of chute or wheel- 10. barrow delivery.

Usually when bags are used today, they are first filled by hand labor in the retailers coal yards, after which additional labor is required to load the bags onto the usual delivery trucks.

Therefore, an object of my invention, is a great saving of time and labor because, in the operation of my apparatus, the trucks are idle for only a few minutes, while in the old method, the trucks would remain idle for a much greater period of time.

The ordinary coal conveyor is well known as consisting of side spaced parallel chains carrying upstanding cross plates which drag the coal from its bottom to the top of its inclined surface, setting up a frictional drag which requires considerable power to operate.

For the purpose of this description, I may, at times, use dimensions to better set out the construction but, of course, no limitations are in- 30. tended, as other dimensions may be employed for various conditions of practice.

Features of the invention may comprise parallel spaced chains movable on suitable opposite ledges or tracks formed with the side walls of a 35. conveyor structure, and are preferably driven at about 180 feet per minute in a five ton loader when in operation.

The endless chains above described are about 2'7 feet in length and are provided at intervals 40- of 6 feet with cross connected aprons 3 feet in length and 16 inches wide, and attached to bars connecting the opposite chains, as hereinafter described.

The aprons serve to receive andcarry a charge or mass of coal discharged through an opening in the bottom of a hopper, means being provided for adjusting a plate member in said opening and for locking the same for an appropriate area for permitting approximately 100 pounds of coal -50: of the size in the hopper to drop to the conveyor 55. ing the apparatus is preferably portable, having suitable wheels and a tongue at its front end, where man or horse power may be applied to change the location of the apparatus at will.

Other features of the invention consist in providing scrapers attached to the chains at the rear ends of the coal transferring aprons and a fixed drop-gate for controlling the coal during the run of the chains between the aprons.

Another object of the invention is to provide at the top of the conveyor a bag supporting element, through which the coal is discharged into successive bags placed on suitable supports and removed therefrom by a single operator and at a general speed of 3 seconds per bag, which makes for a maximum saving of time and expense for loading coal in bag lots into trucks for house to house delivery.

Many other features are present which will appear in the following detail description of the elements of the apparatus and in which the expressions and terms employed are of description only and not of limitation.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred form of my invention,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the loading and dispensing apparatus, parts being omitted and parts being in section and showing a 100 pound bag suspended from the outlet of a rounded chute on quick acting hooks;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the apparatus disclosing some of the important features of construction;

Figure 3 is a. fragmentary perspective of a portion of the conveyor frame, showing best the means for adjusting the size of the hopper outlet opening and the means employed for locking the adjusted plate or member;

Figure 4 is a reduced more or less diagrammatic plan view of the chain;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of one of the aprons showing the means for attaching it to the chain, and a drag and also shows at its front end a sheet iron scraper for gathering scattered coal, the section being taken on the broken line 55 of Fig. 6;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the apron showing best the cam-bars of the drag which lift the drop gate just prior to collecting a 100 pound charge of coal on the apron;

Figure 7 is a transverse partial sectional eleva tion of the conveyor with a drop-gate and its vertical guides;

Figure 8 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. '7 but showing the action of cambars on the drags, raising the gate in its guides as the drag passes under and through the gate frame or brace;

Figure 9 is a top plan view showing the gate and its guides, with the supporting frame or brace omitted;

Figure 10 is a detail side elevation of one of the hooks for supporting the bags while filling, indicating the releasing swing of a part by dotted lines; and

Figure 11 is a perspective detail of a brace.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly, for the present, to Figs. 1 and 2, II designates the improved loader in general, and I2 is a hopper for containing five tons of coal, more or less, provided with a bottom discharge opening l3, its width coinciding with the space between the side walls [4 of a conveyor, generally indicated at i5. The size of the discharge opening may be altered at will for various sizes in coal by an adjustable plate I6 resting on the upper edges of the sides l4 of the conveyor and formed with downturned flanges or side edges I! for snugly embracing the sides to prevent transverse movements.

Pinned, or otherwise secured, as at l8, to the rear portion of the plate [6 is a bar or tongue is having a line of holes or perforations 20 of about one inch diameter, and either hole or perforation 20, when the plate is to be adjusted, may register with a central perforation 2! in a cross brace or plate 22, for the passage of a locking bolt 23 which will hold the plate H5 at the desired position for forming the appropriate size of outlet opening for the hopper.

Hinged, as at 24, to the under face of the plate l6 near the rear, I provide a plate 26 permitted to swing upwardly only by reason of a stop lug 21. This plate may be weighted as at 28 and its function is to shove back or down all scattered coal lying on the forward part of an oncoming apron to about one third of its length so that the entire load will be dumped quickly, resulting in a faster dumping operation into the bag and giving the operator more time to change bags on the hooks which at most should not be more than three seconds to keep time with the chain or conveyor service.

It should be understood that this is a one man loader for the sake of economy; he stands in his truck with an empty bag on his trip hooks and when a pound charge of coal comes over the top and down through the chute into the bag, he quickly trips his hooks to release the full bag which he guides in its fall into the truck and then immediately grasps an empty bag and places the bag handles or loops over the hooks to receive the next charge following down the chute from the conveyor.

Again referring to Fig. l, the hopper may be braced on front and rear pairs of Wheels 25 and 30 in any manner such as vertical braces 3|, 32 and 33 and many more angular braces of various shapesv and material as these elements of the apparatus form no part of the invention.

The front axle 34 may have a pole 35 of any design and the front wheel hubs may have a swivel connection with their axle (not shown) so that this simple chassis may turn around within reasonable limits. At the top of the conveyor is fixed a dumping chute 36 open at one side and of proper dimensions to permit the outstanding drags to pass around the drive shaft 3'! which carries a pair of sprocket wheels, indicated at 38 over which the chains 39 travel and other sprocket wheels 40 on a cross shaft 4| carry the lower part of the chain 39. The shafts 3'! and 4| are mounted in suitable bearings in the conveyor or conveyor frame l5 in the usual manner. Outside of the conveyor frame the power shaft 31 has fixed to rotate therewith a power sprocket 42 connected to a motor sprocket 43 through a chain 44. In the size of the apparatus above described, a 5 horse power motor has been found adequate for the power desired.

Secured to the lower part of the discharge chute 36 and at opposite sides thereof is a pair of twopart bag hooks 45 of simple yet effective design, and each comprises an L-shaped inner part 45, the vertical leg of which is welded or otherwise secured to the chute wall, while the horizontal load supporting leg ll terminates in a rolled eye or bearing 48 for receiving a hinge pin 49 on which the outer swingable part 58 of the bag hook is carried.

When the hook (see Fig. 10) is supporting a coal bag 5|, the loops or handles 52 at either side thereof are placed over the arm or wing 53 of the said swingable member and allowed to rest on another arm 54 of the outer member, and this arm rests on the horizontal arm 47 of the inner fixed part and when the operator wants to release a full bag from the hooks quickly, the thumbs of the operator should be used to force the top of the outer hook part outwardly on its pivot 49 when the loops will be carried outwardly and over the end of the part 41 of the hook.

The delivery chute 36 may also carry at its bottom a wide horizontal ring 55 to assist the operator in spreading the bags just prior to their delivery to the hooks and for maintaining the tops of the bags open while the coal is passing, for avoiding collapse and the spilling of coal over the tops of the bags.

Fixed to the conveyor frame I5 at a determined distance below the hopper opening I3, I provide a drop-gate 55, best shown in Figs. 2, 7-9, its purpose being to stop all coal falling from the hopper opening from running downward of the conveyor at the time 100 pounds of coal is collecting in front of the gate on a stationary floor 51 extending across the conveyor on a level with the chain tracks or supports 53. The extension of this fioor should be about as shown in Fig. 2.

. Anchored by appropriate means in the conveyor framework l5 are opposite guide posts 59 having continuous guide channels GI! for receiving short rollers 6i mounted on a cross bar or shaft 62 and mounted in loop supports 63 riveted or otherwise fixed to a drop door 5:1, as at 65.

Extending into the channels 613 and normally near the lower ends of the guide posts 59 are opposite elongated rollers 65 extending inwardly from the guide posts to provide inner portions 66 for engagement by cam-bars 61 for raising the gate, as and for the purpose later described. The elongated rollers 65 are carried on a cross bar 68 (Figs. '7 and 8) mounted in looped straps 69, riveted to the drop door 6%, as at T0.

The frame structure of the conveyor at the location of the drop gate 55 is set out at the lower sides as at H, to receive the chains 39 so that no coal contacts them and this set out of the frame is continued throughout the length of the chain tracks or supports 58.

The conveyor chain and its three spaced coal carrying aprons will now be described. The chain as above set out is employed for the greater part of its length for traction only, but where the aprons are .attached it performs the twofold purpose of traction and carrier of coal units of approximately 100 pounds on each apron.

The aprons, indicated generally at 12, are pref erably three in number, 3 feet long and are separated along the chainslength by 6 foot spaces 13. The aprons 12 are similar and are supported by a series of cross bars- 13 preferably having rounded lower faces 74 and flat top faces 75 to which the apron proper i6 constructed of a suitable tough composition material may be secured by rivets T1, or other fastenings. The rear end of the apron is shown as riveted or otherwise fastened to a cross bar 18-, cross connecting the side walls E8 of an upstanding drag 88 having a plane rear wall 81, and at the sides of the drag, at the top, are secured downwardly and forwardly inclined cam-bars 61 for raising the drop-gate 6d at intervals. The drag and cambars are shown as connected by braces 82 and the front ends of the cam-bars simply rest on one of the cross bars 73 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The leading edge of the apron 12 carries a metal scraper 83 comprising a fiat portion 84 and a portion 85 projecting down at about 30 to within a short distance of the fioor 51 from which the coal is collected onto the apron. The body portion 84 of the scraper 83 rests on two cross bars 86 to which it is riveted as at 81.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown the sides 19 of the drag as provided with thin link extensions 88 which fit over the chain pins 89 which may be made longer and riveted to said thin link for securing the drag to the chain, or other means may be employed for this purpose.

To properly maintain the guide posts 59 in a vertical position (Figs. 7 and 8) I employ a brace 98 entirely embracing the conveyor structure where the drop-gate 84 operates. The gate is normally held a short distance from the floor by any suitable means to permit the inclined scrapers leading the aprons to enter under the gates and under the collected coal just ahead.

I claim:

1. A coal loader comprising in combination with a hopper having asupporting gear, an inclined conveyor frame disposed under a discharge opening of the hopper, sprockets in pairs mounted at each end of the frame, chains on said sprockets, a floor under said chains, a normally closed drop gate fixed over the lower end portion of the floor, for collecting at intervals charges of determined bulk from said hopper, flexible aprons connected across to the chains, scrapers and drags secured to the respective front and rear ends of said aprons for moving coal collected at intervals back of said gate, and inclined bars on said drags for lifting the drop gates as the chains draw the aprons thereunder for delivering coal upwardly.

2. A coal loader comprising with a supply hopper having a supporting running gear, an inclined conveyor frame disposed under a hopper opening, sprockets in pairs mounted at each end of said frame, chains on said sprockets, flexible aprons on said chains, scrapers fast to the leading edges thereof for collecting determined charges of coal, drags having upstanding rear and side walls secured on the rear ends of said aprons for assisting the aprons in the collecting of coal deposits at intervals when the chains are operating, a normally closed drop gate, rollers projecting from the sides of the gate, fixed vertical guides for receiving said rollers, said drags also being provided with inclined bars for contacting the gate rollers for raising the gate when the chains are operating in drawing the aprons and drags upwardly towards the hopper outlet at intervals.

3. A coal loader comprising with a supply hopper having a supporting running gear, an inclined conveyor frame disposed under a hopper opening, sprockets in pairs mounted at each end of said frame, chains on said sprockets, flexible aprons on said chains, scrapers fast to the leading edges thereof for collecting determined charges of coal, drags having upstanding rear and side walls secured on the rear ends of said aprons for assisting the aprons in the collecting of coal deposits at intervals when the chains are operating, a normally closed drop gate, rollers projecting from the sides of the gate, fixed vertical guides for receiving said rollers, said drags also being provided with inclined bars for contacting the gate rollers for raising the gate when the chains are operative in drawing the aprons and drags upwardly towards the hopper outlet at intervals, said flexible aprons being fixed to and spanning the innermost edges of the chains eliminating injurious contact of coal over the chains, said chains being connected by cross bars under the aprons and centrally secured thereto by rivets, said bars having reduced ends for forming trunnions extending through alternate links of the chains, and means at the rear end of the aprons for bracing said aprons between the side drag walls.

4. A coal loader comprising a hopper provided with a discharge opening, a conveyor having traveling chains underlying the hopper opening, means resting and movable on the sides of said conveyor for locking adjustment for the size of said opening, a floor extending across the conveyor below said opening, a gate at the lower part of the floor and below the opening for collecting coal dropping on said floor, aprons on said chains for entering under said gate and under the said coal, and a drag connected to each of said aprons for raising said gate and for carrying the coal thus collected to the delivery end of the conveyor.

5. A coal loader comprising a hopper having a discharge opening, a conveyor arranged under said opening, means for locking adjustment of its size, chains running at the sides of the conveyor, flexible aprons spaced longitudinally on said chains, a metal. scraper attached to the leading end of each apron and an upstanding drag attached to the rear end of each apron, a dropgate for collecting coal dropping from the hopper, cam-bars on said drags for successively raising said drop-gate for removing said collected coal, and means for driving said chains.

6. A coal loader comprising a hopper having a discharge opening, in combination with an inclined conveyor arranged under said opening, a plate projecting into said opening and means for locking the plate in desired adjusted positions for changing the size of said opening, chains extending through the conveyor, a floor arranged under said opening in the hopper, a. drop-gate arranged across the conveyor, spaced coal carriers on the chains, drags on said carriers for raising the gate and collecting coal, and means for driving the chains.

7. The combination with a supply hopper having a discharge coal opening, of an inclined conveyor disposed beneath said opening, slidable means on the conveyor for adjusting the size of said opening; a conveying device operating in said conveyor, a liftable gate for collecting coal falling from the hopper opening, a series of coal supporting aprons spaced from each other on the conveying device a distance greater than their respective lengths, a scraper on the forward end of each apron, a drag on the rear thereof, means on said drag for raising said gate, said scraper, apron and drag cooperating for scooping up a charge of coal resting back of said gate and conveying the same over the top of the conveyor, and means driving the conveying device.

8. The combination with a supply hopper having a coal discharge opening, of an inclined conveyor, chains running therein, aprons on said chains, a swing gate for brushing back scattered coal near the forward end of said aprons when passing, a drop-gate located to gather coal falling from the hopper, means at the rear of each apron for raising the drop-gate and gathering the coal back of said gate, and means for operating the chains for conveying the coal thus gathered over the top of the conveyor.

9. A coal loader comprising an inclined conveyor having upstanding parallel sides; spaced conveying devices running therebetween, a floor between said devices and extended under the same, a. drop gate near the forward end of the floor, a backwardly swingable stop plate near the rear end of said floor, flexible aprons fast on said devices, means for feeding coal onto said floor back of said drop gate, means at the rear of each apron for raising the drop: gate and said stop plate as the successive aprons pass with charges of coal thereon.

10. Means for distributing coal into bags of like capacity from a common supply, comprising a conveyor, a floor for receiving a continuous downward flow of coal from said supply, a drop gate for collecting said coal on said floor, flexible aprons constituting a part of said conveyor, scrapers and drags constituting cooperative parts of said aprons, a swingable weighted stop plate for preventing the spread of coal on said aprons, and means on said drags for raising the drop gate and stop plate in the passage of successive charges of coal on the aprons, and means for guiding the charges into successively provided .bags.

WALTER L. O'BRIEN. 

